Venus Williams Cleared Of Criminal Charges In Fatal Car Crash

The tennis star faced a wrongful death lawsuit.

Palm Beach Gardens police will not chargeVenus Williams in the car crash that killed a passenger in the other vehicle, removing a cloud that hung over the tennis star from the tragic accident, The Sun Sentinel reported.

Investigators initially found Williams at fault for the June 9 accident. But on later review, officials announced in July that the tennis player lawfully entered an intersection on a green light when the other driver T-boned Williams. The newly released report said Williams “was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car.” Neither Linda Barson, 68, nor Williams violated the other’s right of way.

Barson’s 78-year-old husband, Jerome Barson, suffered lacerations to his spleen and pelvis and spinal fractures. Unfortunately, he died 13 days later, after developing multi-organ failure while struggling for his life in an intensive care unit. Barson had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams.

The tragic wreck happened during the time Williams, 37, was preparing to compete in London at the Wimbledon grand slam. She was clearly impacted emotionally from the incident. “I am divested and heartbroken by this accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers,” she wrote.